Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-12
THE VENERABLE KAISER.


THE VENERABLE KAISER
Graphic Descriptiea u the Home Lie a
the German Emperor.
THERE'S never any change in the ap-
pearance OF the venerable monarch's
palace home. His sleeping-room and
Office at the corner of the building that
stands in the Inter den Linden are lit
up every evening at the usual hour,
and even when the sovereign is absent
these windows are bright with lamps
and candles until midnight just as
though he were in the capital. The
room IS a large one. some 18x25 feet
square. with wooden wainscoting and
heavy brown satin hangings. The bed.
although simple one, is no longer the
iron camp bedstead which most of the
biOgraphers have declared to be his
nightly couch. 1t stands with the head
to the wall facing a wide. lofty window
shaded by thick blinds. and near it on
little table is a collection of family
photographs, including that of the EN-
peror himself. who is represented hold
ing on his knees his great-grandson.
the next but last born child Of Prince
William. The Emperofs watch hangs
at the head of the bed. where also q
bell-rope is within his reach. On the
mantel-piece, no matter what may be
the season of the year, there is always
a huge bouquet of blue corn flowers,
the Emperor's favorite. in silver re-
Nuisance vase. On bracket fastened
to the wall is a two-branched candle
stick with green shades. The whole of
one side of the room is filed up with
a large mirror. A door opens from
this room into the one assigned to the
general on duty as aid-de-camp. An
ether door communicates with the En-
pcror's private Office, to which he pro-
ceeds as soon as he is up and dressed,
and where he always begins his daily
work by reading the verse of Scripture,
the proverb or the philosophical re-
Election printed on the ephemeral al
manac hanging over his desk. He
now and then adds an annexation of
his own to these daily slips or makes
on them memorandum of how he
has employed the day, and as they are
all carefully preserved by his grand
daughter, the Princess William of
Prussia, they will one day form a GU
rious and valuable collection for the ex-
animation of future biographers and
historians.
FOr a great many years 4 cane-bOt-
toned chair was the only seat this
room contained, but this has lately
been exchanged for large green
leather upholstered arm one, which
stands to the right of three tables
placed in row. On the first of these
are placed letters. petitions and re-
ports as they are received; on the Sec
Ond there are writing materials-a
silver ink-stand shaped like Krupp
shell, and pen made out of an eagles
feather. with which the Emperor al
ways writes; on the third table are
books, German, English and French
newspapers and reviews. complete
files of which are also kept in a large
room on the ground floor of the pal
ace. In this Office the Emperor
passes large portion Of his time, and
it is there that he receives those who
have business with him, but no one ex-
cept the aid-de-camp on duty, who
sleeps in the adjoining room. his valet
de-chambre Walter, whose grand
father long held the same position. his
physicians, and Prince Bismarck are
ever allowed to enter his bed-chamber.
The imperial household is frugal
one, and few are the grand dinners
given. Both Wilhelm and his Empress
love the company of their kind, but
naturally they have very few intimate
friends. She is not fond of any thing
but plain cooking. but he likes French
plats, well made and seasoned. Every
winter they give three or four state
balls in the old chateau at the end of
the avenue facing the museum. about
five minutes walk from the palace in
which their majesties live. and not far
from the various embassies. 1t is very
plain-looking four story building. some
what in the eighteenth century style:
it is plastered outside, contains about
six hundred rooms, two courts, a chapel,
and is surmounted by low dome.
The courts are paved with the cobble-
stones which were the fashion in the
days when carriages were much heav-
Ter and clumsier than they arc now.
1t is the Empress who really keeps
up this royal style, never for an instant
abandoning her role, and always en-
deavoring to make it resemble as clear
ly as possible that of the old French
monarchy. The Germans and Berlin
ers have never learned to understand
her, and she has always been looked
on by them rather as a Russian-which
she il by descent-than a. . German.
As matter of fact, she is rather I'M
popular with her subjects. The dancing
does not last long. an hour and half
1t the most, and then the chamberlains |
reform the court cortege, and every |
body goes to the supper-rOoms, about
a dozen in number, each of which is
assigned to different category Of